University Study Visit: Youth Work and Intercultural Competence

A three-day study visit to universities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that offer Youth and Community Work degree programmes.

This study visit will focus on Higher Education institutions and other establishments involved in Youth and Community Work programmes at undergraduate and/or postgraduate levels.

The main aim of the Study Visit is to promote international Youth Work and intercultural competence within these institutions. Through linking Youth and Community Work programmes to Erasmus+ Youth, European youth policy and the European Training Strategy, the project also aims towards recognition of Non-Formal Learning and greater professionalisation of Youth Workers and Youth Work training.

The visit will explore how the theories of Intercultural Competence apply to youth work training and practice in a variety of contexts.  Although youth work in the UK and Ireland have similar theoretic underpinnings, the training and practice models have evolved to respond to local circumstances.  For example in Belfast, the group will look at the issues for youth workers in a society emerging from conflict.  In Maynooth, the focus will be on models  and approaches of integration in increasingly diverse communities.

This project follows on from the University Study Visit held in Scotland in May 2017. It also links to the ‘Among Others’ project, held in co-operation between the Czech, Hungarian, Irish, Polish, Turkish and UK National Agencies.

The activity is for 20-25 participants; recommended for Youth workers or HE staff working in providing Youth and Community Work degree programmes in Higher Education; hosted by UKNA and taking place between Northern Ireland, UK and Republic of Ireland.

Expected profile participants:

• Trainer in higher education (as lecturer and/ or researcher)
• Youth Workers Lecturers/ Educators
• Manager in youth programme employing youth workers
• Policy maker within youth work/education authorities

Supported priorities:

• Development of youth work quality
• Youth policy and dialogue with decision makers
• Cultural diversity or fight against racism and intolerance

The three objectives that the project aims to reach are:

1 To look at different ways that UK and Irish Youth and Community Work courses incorporate international work and intercultural competence modules.

2 To share experiences from participants’ countries of how international work and intercultural competence are incorporated into Youth and Community Work courses

3 To create links between Youth and Community Work faculties and European programmes (particularly Erasmus+), European Youth Policy, and the European Training Strategy

A programme draft is available to download.